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PIGEONS 'AND SAND GROUSE 



those of the fore-neck, are forked at the extremity. The first two may also be 

 recognized by having two scale-like patches of dark feathers on the sides of the neck, 

 while Streptopelia has a complete black collar on the hind-neck. The five typical 

 species of Turtur have the wing coverts mottled, with the centres of the feathers 

 darker than the edges. Of these, the turtledove ( T. communis) is widely distributed 

 over Europe, extending as far east as Yarkand, and ranging southward in winter to 



DOMESTIC TURTLEDOVE AND AFRICAN GROUND DOVE. 

 (One- third natural size.) 



Africa, where it reaches at least as far south as Shoa. The crown and hind-neck 

 are bluish gray, with a black patch of white-margined feathers on each side of the 

 neck, the back is pale brown, the inner wing coverts cinnamon brown with dark 

 middles, and the outer gray washed below with ashy, the chin nearly white, and the 

 throat and breast vinous shading into white on the belly, the quills and the two 

 middle tail feathers being brown, while the outer pairs are grayish black broadly 

 tipped with white. The male is rather larger than the female, and has the plumage 



